1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to tree removal and transplanting devices and, more particularly, to a simplified and improved apparatus for manually excavating and transplanting a tree and which is more easily adapted to adjust the amount of surrounding earth removed with a tree and roots and which permits the exertion of a greater degree of cantilever bending forces for causing forcible removal of the tree from a ground location.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Tree spade removal devices for excavating and, if desired, replanting certain sized trees, shrubs and other plant life are fairly well known in the art. The purpose of such devices is to provide a means for removing smaller sized trees from a desired area and replaces the necessity of having to manually dig around the roots of the tree and then forcibly remove the tree.
Large self-propelled tree planters and harvesters are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,662, issued to Heinzen and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,351,253 and 4,403,427, both issued to Dahlquist. In each instance, the above devices are mounted upon a vehicle and include a significant hydraulically operated mechanism for forcibly gripping and removing a tree from a ground location. Along similar lines, a trailer supported and hydraulically operating tree transplanting apparatus is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,600,904, issued to Bowling.
Recent attempts have also been made at producing a smaller version of a tree removal/transplanting device which does not require heavy hydraulic or other powerized means for removing smaller sized trees. An example of such a device is illustrated in the Tree Toad Transplanter brochure which shows a three spaded bucket design secured to a vertically actuable hydraulic jack and capable of lifting rootballs weighing in excess of 500 pounds.
A further example of a trailerable and tree excavating apparatus is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,691, issued to Stevens et al., which shows a wheel supported device which includes an elongate trailer hitch portion, a body supporting a plurality of securably mounted spades, and a vertically extending support post structure which interconnects to the spades and includes a crank mechanism for upwardly actuating the spades enclosing the tree rootball out of the ground location.